Surname Cleis - Meaning and Origin

Cleis: What does the surname Cleis mean?

The last name Cleis is of Germanic origin and is most commonly found in Germany and France. The name likely derives from the Middle High German phrase "cleis goß," which translates to "great fame." It is likely that the name was given to a person or family who had achieved great renown.

In Germanic culture of the Middle Ages, a person bearing this name was likely held in high esteem by their peers, and the name was likely used as a source of pride for its original bearer. Alternatively, the name may have been used to distinguish a particular family or social status in its homeland.

The modern version of this surname is spelled Clees and is still used in some parts of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. It is also common in English-speakers countries such as the US and Canada. The spelling variations of this name have been adopted in various countries as a result of colonization and the waves of immigrants who brought their families' culture and language with them to a new land.

The surname Cleis is still a fairly common name today, and it is a reminder of the Germanic tradition of respect for success and achievement. The bearer of this name may still feel a strong cultural connection to its origin and a sense of pride in its meaning.

Cleis: Where does the name Cleis come from?

The last name Cleis is most commonly found in Europe, particularly in Germany. It is also found in smaller numbers in the United States and Canada, as well as in other countries like France, the Netherlands, and Belgium. The surname traces its origins back to the traditional German language, meaning “clair” or “clear”.

The earliest records of the name Cleis in Germany date back to the 12th century. Many records in the area point to an area in modern-day Bavaria that was the center of a noble family. The surname also appears in French records from the 15th-17th centuries.

Today, this last name is still found in Germany, particularly in the regions of Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, and Saxony-Anhalt. In the United States, Cleis is most common in Pennsylvania, followed by states such as New York, Illinois, North Carolina, and California. It is also found in Canada, with Ontario having the highest concentration.

The last name Cleis has certainly changed over the centuries. Its essence, however, has remained the same: a name that is neat, clear, and precise.

Variations of the surname Cleis

The surname Cleis has various spellings, variants, and alternate surnames. The original spelling is Clair, Clere, and Clair, which comes from the French words "clair" and "clairse." The Greek spelling is Kleros, Klerus or Kleri. In Scotland, the surname is known as Cleir.

The patronymic and metronymic form takes different spellings in various languages, such as Cleisen in German, Clerisse in French, Clerice in Italian, Clerizy in Russian, Clerizio in Spanish, and Cleizy in Polish.

The matronymic form takes various spellings depending on the language they are spoken in. In German, this form is Berliner; in French it is Clerisel; in Italian it is Clerizia; in Spanish it is Clerizio; in Russian it is Cleritzy; and in Polish it is Cleitzy.

The various variants of Cleis include Cleiser, Cleiss, Cleisser, Cleisser, Clice, and Klersen.

The alternate surnames derived from Cleis are Clais, Claisse, Claissey, Cleise, Clerizi, Kleis, Kleisner, Klyser, Kneser, and Kresser.

Finally, the hyphenated written forms of the word include Cleis-Clais, Cleis-Claisse, Cleis-Kleis, and Klerik-Kleser.

Famous people with the name Cleis

• Mary Cleis: French singer
• Sybill Williams Cleis: American aviator
• Kyriacos Cleis: oracle, Ninth-Century hermit, member of the Byzantine aristocracy
• Prophetikos Cleis: 3rd century soothsayer who lived on the island of Lesbos
• Alphonzo Cleis: Thai-American actor, producer, and DJ
• Ladislav Cleis: Czech lawyer and politician
• Chris Cleis: American stage actor
• Bertrand Cleis: French journalist and politician
• Teddy Cleis: French painter and sculptor
• Arthur Cleis: American director, singer and composer
• Josef Cleis: Swiss lawyer and politician
• Warren Cleis: American composer and music educator
• Ann Cleis: Belgian-American independent filmmaker
• Danniele Kay Cleis Daniels: British actress who appeared in the movie "The Fifth Element"
• João Luís Correia de Cleis: Brazilian footballer
• Alan Cleis: Spanish novelist and journalist
• Alexander Anthony Cleis: British pentathlete
• Nicodemus Cleis: Spanish philosopher
• Antonio Cleis: Italian painter from the Baroque period
• Daniel Cleis: German historian and theologian

Other surnames

CleissCleiß